AT Photo: The suspect who died in police custody
Guwahati, Aug 24: The Assam Police has launched an extensive search operation to apprehend two of the three accused involved in the gruesome rape of a minor in Nagaon’s Dhing.
Over the last 36 hours, the police have conducted several raids in areas adjacent to Dhing and activated their intelligence sources to track down the suspects.
Confirming the raids on Saturday, Nagaon SP Swapnaneel Deka stated that the police have been combing the area and expressed optimism that the accused would soon be behind bars.
“Yes, we conducted several raids on Friday night to nab the other two accused, and we are confident that we will soon be able to arrest them,” SP Deka told a national news agency.
Meanwhile, the prime accused in the case, Tafajjul Islam, was declared dead by drowning on Saturday morning.
The incident occurred when the prime suspect was taken to the crime scene to recreate the crime. According to the police, Islam attempted to free himself from handcuffs and jumped into a nearby pond.
The police swiftly cordoned off the area and summoned the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). A search operation was immediately launched, and after two hours, the police reportedly recovered his body from the pond.
“The accused was taken to the crime scene when he pulled away from an officer and fell into a pond. After a few hours, the SDRF and police personnel managed to recover his body,” SP Deka informed the press.
The 14-year-old victim is in critical condition and undergoing treatment at Nagaon Medical College and Hospital.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika, who visited the victim on Friday, divulged details about her condition, stating that she is receiving treatment in the general ward but is “in a lot of pain.”
"She is still in shock and enduring severe pain. She may have to remain in the hospital for a few more days. According to her brother and aunt, she is suffering,” the minister informed the press.
Meanwhile, protests against the heinous crime continued in Dhing and its adjoining areas for the second consecutive day on Saturday, with demonstrators demanding swift justice for the 14-year-old victim.
The minority community in Dhing’s Borbheti village, the native village of the accused Islam, has condemned the incident and announced that no one from the village will participate in his last rites.
